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London Buses To Become More Like The Tube

The Mayor of London says he's going to make London's buses as simple to use as the London Underground as he trials the first “Tube-style” approach to bus travel.

Some routes have been given their own distinct colour and links to other TfL services have been clearly identified in a new approach that will give passengers travel information in a similar way to the Tube.

The Mayor's office says that buses and stop signs will be marked in identifiable colours and the main destinations and interchanges will be listed on the side of the buses. This will simplify use of the bus network in local areas as passengers will be able to tell, at a glance, where the bus will go. There has been no comment on how this might impact on advertising revenues.

A new trial of this innovative approach has begun in east London where more than 60 red buses are being given their own splash of colour to mark seven different routes. The changes aim to simplify journeys for passengers travelling in Barkingside and across the area including journeys to and from Romford, Walthamstow, Ilford, Loughton and Barking.

A further trial is planned for the summer in Hayes, in west London. If successful, the new designs could spread to other parts of the capital.

At the moment, the trial is taking place on routes 462, 128, 150, 167, 169, 247 and 275.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It’s no secret that London’s bus service has always been close to my heart, and I’m working hard to make it as accessible, affordable and easy to use as possible for all. By bringing these new distinctive route colours to areas of the network, we’re making it as easy to navigate areas of London by bus as it is by Tube. It’s another key part in our efforts to encourage Londoners to take to the bus and help us tackle congestion, air pollution and make our city better for everyone.”

The trial is one of a number of bold initiatives from the Mayor and TfL to increase bus ridership across the capital. This includes:

Freezing single fares at £1.50 until 2020, and introducing the Hopper fare to make a second bus journey within an hour free. This will be extended to unlimited bus and tram journeys in an hour from next year.

Investing £20m per year in bus priority measures. TfL will deliver around 170 schemes, many in outer London, saving passengers time on some of the most congested routes

Matching bus capacity with demand by reducing the underused services in central London and reallocating them to where they are needed

Reviewing traffic signal timings at 1,200 junctions and at 200 sites to improve bus speeds. TfL is also taking steps to tackle congestion on London’s roads, including new and improved strategic management, technology and better communication with road users to tackle the problem head-on.

Making 95 per cent of bus stops accessible to wheelchair users

Improving customer service on the bus network by giving all 24,500 bus drivers, bus controllers and other operational staff new training in how to assist customers.

Continuing the transformation of the bus fleet into a low-polluting means of transport with new ‘Low Emission Bus Zones’ introduced, phasing out the worst polluting diesel buses and replacing or modifying all buses to meet the toughest air quality standards by 2020

Leon Daniels, Transport for London’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, said: “We’re constantly looking for new and innovative ways to improve our customers’ journeys. We’ve redesigned the look of Barkingside’s buses and the information we provide to customers. We believe this will make bus travel simpler and will encourage more Londoners and visitors to use buses – the Capital’s most expansive and accessible public transport service, which also offers excellent value for money.”

What do you think about this trial? Will it make it easier for you to use the bus network? Let us know, call the studio now on 0800 020 9909 and we might talk to you on air.